Plasma screens, speakers, light switches, electrical outlets, recessed lighting, junction boxes and other components are conventionally mounted to walls or ceilings. Components are generally held in place on a bracket using some sort of attachment mechanism. When those components break down or need to be replaced, however, the attachment mechanism oftentimes needs to be removed in order to service the component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,559 to Henrichs teaches a hook and latch mechanism for a wall panel, where the wall panel locks into place as it is installed on a wall bracket, and a large button in the center of the panel releases the latch so that the panel can be removed. Having a visible unlocking device, however, can detract from the aesthetic appeal and elegance of high-end wall mounts, and advertises the mechanism by which the component is affixed to the wallboard. Henrichs and all other extrinsic materials identified herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
US 2007/0051862 to Monti teaches a wall-mounted speaker with protrusions that lock into indentations in a bracket in only one direction. There is no visible unlocking device, as the wall-mounted speaker unlocks by pushing the speaker through the wall to the other side. While the protrusion/indentation mechanism in Monti effectively locks the speaker in place within the bracket without a visible unlocking mechanism, the speaker can only be unlocked by pushing the speaker through to the other side of the wall. Such a configuration is not ideal for many installations where access to the other side of the wall is not available. Additionally, an owner of the speaker may want only authorized persons to detach the speaker from the wall.
Thus, there is still a need in the art for locking mechanisms for wall mounts that do not have a visible unlocking mechanism, and can be pulled out from the wallboard.